This invention relates in general to air pollution control equipment, and in particular to a portable airborne-pollutant capturing device movable to a site of pollutant origin for withdrawing therefrom pollutants and capturing the pollutants in an integral filter system.
The danger of toxic emissions in confined spaces is well recognized in present day efforts to control airborne pollutants and their potential health hazards. One particularly well-defined example of this control is found in paint booths used for painting aircraft, vehicles, etc. These booths are closed and are designed to substantially encompass the article being painted, and painting proceeds as a spray coating. The booths are equipped with exhaust fans that draw airborne pollution from the booth for collection downstream. When an entire object is being painted, such a booth is highly efficient in protecting persons in the proximity of the painting activity.
While an entire object may be painted in a such a booth, the application of touch-up paint to only a portion of an object generally must be performed in a relatively open area without the protection of a booth or other walled environment. Consequently, dangerous airborne pollutants such as volatile organic compounds, chromium VI, and other components of paint can enter a relatively confined environment (e.g. the interior of a building) and be a safety hazard to people within that environment. Because it is not feasible to construct closed booths or the like for touch-up painting since such painting may be required at several random sites, fugitive particulate simply enters the relatively confined environment, thus either requiring protective apparel for those nearby or causing a health risk to unprotected personnel.
In view of potential health risks due to non-confinable airborne pollutants, it is apparent that a need is present for particulate capture in environments where individual well-being can be jeopardized. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an air pollution control apparatus movable to a site of pollutant origin.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air pollution control apparatus having a filter system for trapping and retaining fugitive pollutants.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an air pollution control apparatus whose filter system can be customized for favorable efficiency with respect to pollutants to be captured.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
The present invention is an air pollution control apparatus usable for capturing airborne pollutants present in a relatively confined environment. The apparatus comprises a portable airborne-pollutant capturing device movable to a site of pollutant origin and having at least one airborne-pollutant collector member. A vacuum system is present within the capturing device and is in communication with the collector member to draw airborne pollutants into the capturing device through the pollutant collector member. Actual capture of pollutants is accomplished by a filter system within the capturing device. The filter system can include one filter or more than one identical or different filters chosen for enhanced filtration capabilities in relation to pollutants present. Thus, an activated charcoal filter may be included in the filter system for trapping and retaining volatile organic compounds (VOC""s), a paint overspray filter may be included for general pollutant collection, while a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is included to assure chromium VI and other metallic contaminates associated with paint. Preferably, more than one type of filter can be accommodated simultaneously to thereby capture multiple pollutants. Fugitive particulate is captured by positioning the airborne-pollutant collector member proximate the activity causing pollution (e.g. touch-up painting), and operating the collector member simultaneously with the activity to thereby cause particulate to be drawn within the airborne-pollutant capturing device and there captured by the filter system. In this manner airborne pollutant escape is significantly curtailed.